Written Answers Wednesday 10 November 2010

Scottish Executive

Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the definition of alcohol dependency is for the purposes of section 227V(6)(a) and (b) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

Kenny MacAskill: For the purposes of section 227V(6)(a) and (b) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, it will be for the court to satisfy themselves that an individual has an alcohol dependency. Before imposing a community payback order, the court must take account of a report provided by a local authority officer, which contains information about the offender and the offender’s circumstances. Where appropriate, report writers will seek input from treatment services or clinicians.

  Professionals involved in assessing an individual’s alcohol problem will be informed by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) clinical definition of dependency i.e. "an individual having three or more of a range of symptoms including; tolerance; alcohol withdrawal, craving, persistence of drinking despite negative consequences" and can draw upon a range of well-established screening tools.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of how many people in Scotland will be affected by the UK Government’s decision to pay housing benefit applicants who are single and under 35 at a shared-room rate.

Alex Neil: The detailed information requested is currently being collated by the Department for Work and Pensions. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52018).

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current eligibility criteria are for the provision of assisted conception services.

Shona Robison: NHS funded assisted conception should be available to couples who meet all of the following national criteria developed in 2000 by the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland:

  1. Infertility with an appropriate diagnosed cause of any duration or unexplained infertility of at least three years duration.

  2. Female partner aged less than 40 years at the time of treatment.

  3. Neither partner previously sterilised.

  4. No child living with the couple in their home.

  5. Less than three previous embryo transfers funded from any source.

  The national criteria and the 2007 review can be found on the Maternity Services website, www.maternityservices.scot.nhs.uk.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to alter its guidelines on access to assisted conception services and, if so, when.

Shona Robison: This is one of a number of issues being looked at by the National Infertility Group. The group will provide an initial progress report to ministers within the agreed timescale.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it provides to NHS boards regarding access to assisted conception policies.

Shona Robison: The Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) developed national criteria in 2000 to be implemented by NHS boards. The guidelines, along with the 2007 review can be found on the Maternity Services website at www.maternityservices.scot.nhs.uk .

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what considerations NHS boards are required to make when developing a policy on access to assisted conception services.

Shona Robison: The policy on access to NHS assisted conception treatment is a matter for individual NHS boards and will be informed by local protocols, funding decisions and current national policy guidelines.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards restrict access to assisted conception services solely to couples with no children resident in their household.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally, however the most up to date information on access to assisted conception services is contained within the NHS board survey carried out by Infertility Network Scotland. The survey is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 49114) and can also be accessed on the Maternity Services website at www.maternityservices.scot.nhs.uk .

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the relaxation of non-clinical criteria in guidelines on access to assisted conception services.

Shona Robison: This is one of a number of issues being looked at by the National Infertility Group. The group will provide an initial progress report to ministers within the agreed timescale.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is consistency of access to assisted conception services across Scotland.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36969 on 10 November 2010.

  I am aware that there are inconsistencies of access to assisted conception services across Scotland and that is why I have established the National Infertility Group to review the situation.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that there is a consistency of access to assisted conception services across Scotland.

Shona Robison: The remit of the National Infertility Group includes working towards the development of equitable and high quality infertility services across Scotland. The group will provide an initial progress report to ministers within the agreed timescale.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for couples referred to the tertiary fertility services, also broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally, but the most up to date information on waiting times is contained within the NHS board survey carried out by Infertility Network Scotland. The survey is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 49114) and can also be accessed on the Maternity Services website at www.maternityservices.scot.nhs.uk .

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is an appropriate age limit to restrict access to assisted conception services for women and, if so, what this is.

Shona Robison: Current national criteria states that the female partner should be aged less than 40 years at the time of treatment. This is one of a number of issues being looked at by the National Infertility Group. The group will provide an initial progress report to ministers within the agreed timescale.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget for assisted conception services has been in each year since 2000, also broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

  No specific funding is made available for assisted conception services in NHSScotland. NHS boards receive an allocation to meet the health care needs of their resident population. It is for boards to decide how best to utilise this funding to meet national and local priorities.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions it gives to NHS boards regarding the funding of assisted conception services.

Shona Robison: No specific funding is made available for assisted conception services in NHSScotland. NHS boards receive an allocation to meet the health care needs of their resident population. It is for boards to decide how best to utilise this funding to meet national and local priorities.

Infertility Services

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there would be greater equality of access to infertility services if they were centrally funded.

Shona Robison: Central funding for infertility services is not currently being considered by the National Infertility Group.

Older People

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that older people have a good quality of life.

Shona Robison: We are taking the principles of the All Our Futures strategy – older people contributing and participating, enjoying a sense of purpose and belonging, respected and included – forward in the context of our single purpose for a prosperous Scotland from which all can benefit. The Scottish Government has introduced, and continues to support, a number of major policies specifically designed to help older people. These include:

  The National Concessionary Travel Scheme which provides free Scotland-wide bus travel for older people;

  Free personal and nursing care;

  The Energy Assistance Package which came into effect in April 2009, and which continues to provide support to low income pensioner households living in energy inefficient homes and to provide central heating systems to all those aged 60 and over who have never had central heating installed in their home;

  The freeze on council tax, first introduced in 2008-09 and now continued for a third year 2010-11; and

  Engagement with older people in various ways, including the Scottish Older People’s Assembly which I addressed in Glasgow on 10 November 2010.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to issue new guidance in relation to the prescribing of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine following the issue of the preliminary recommendations on these by the Appraisal Committee of the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Shona Robison: The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) consultation on their Appraisal Committee’s preliminary recommendations in relation to the prescribing of cholinesterase inhibitors (Donepezil, Galantamine, and Rivastigmine) and Memantine for Alzheimer’s Disease is being carried out as part of a NICE Multiple Technology Appraisal (MTA).

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) reviews NICE MTA advice for applicability in Scotland and issues advice to NHS boards in Scotland at the same time as NICE issues its final advice for boards in England and Wales, which for these drugs is expected to be in March 2011.

  The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) develops evidence-based clinician guidelines for the NHS in Scotland, and issued guidelines for the management of patients with dementia in 2006. They recommend the use of Donepezil, Galantamine and Rivastigmine but do not recommend the use of Memantine.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Royal College of Psychiatry regarding the National Dementia Strategy.

Shona Robison: Members of the Royal College of Psychiatry were fully involved in the development of the National Dementia Strategy through its working groups and rounds of consultations and are fully involved in its implementation. This includes their involvement in key areas such as the national target on early diagnosis and post-diagnosis support, the implementation of Integrated Care Pathways for Dementia and the development of a benchmarking framework to measure and compare services and monitor implementation of the strategy.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Royal College of Psychiatry regarding prescribing practises in relation to cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with the Royal College of Psychiatry (RCP) specifically regarding prescribing practices in relation to Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Memantine.

  The RCP is engaging with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) on the development of NHS QIS’s advice to NHS boards in Scotland in response to the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines on the prescribing of Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Memantine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease, which is expected to be issued in March 2011.

  The RCP has also been consulted by NICE on the development of NICE’s preliminary recommendations in this specific prescribing area.

Pollution

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of section 61 orders under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 have taken place in the last three years.

Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The issue of Section 61 Orders, under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, and any breaches of such orders, falls within the responsibility of local authorities.

Pollution

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in relation to how many breaches of section 61 orders under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 action has been taken in the last three years.

Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Action on any breaches of orders under Section 61 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 is a matter for the relevant enforcing local authority.

Suicide

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many suicides have been recorded in each year since 1999.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28833 on 16 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Swimming

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the typical administrative cost to local authorities consulting on the use of their share of the £800,000 top-up swimming programme of (a) developing, (b) seeking consent from sportscotland on and (c) implementing a plan and what percentage the total amount represents of the (i) largest, (ii) average and (iii) smallest grant offered under the programme.

Shona Robison: This is a matter for local authorities.

Swimming

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total administrative cost is to (a) it and (b) sportscotland of the (i) development, (ii) implementation and (iii) supervision of the £800,000 top-up swimming programme.

Shona Robison: There are no administrative costs to the Scottish Government as this work is part of the ongoing sponsorship tasks of sportscotland and the top-up swimming programme is delivered through sportscotland in partnership with Scottish Swimming. This is an operational matter for sportscotland and I have asked Stewart Harris, Chief Executive of sportscotland to respond to the member directly.

Swimming

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities provide free year-round access to swimming for children.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not hold comprehensive information on local authority provision of free year-round access to swimming for children. However I understand that whilst sportscotland do not systematically gather this data they have supplied general information which gives a good picture of local authority provision as well as the varied level of programmes offered. As an example, the following local authorities provide free year-round access to swimming for children:

  Aberdeen: concession scheme for those on low income, disability benefit;

  Angus: free swimming for under fours;

  City of Edinburgh: free casual swimming for primary-aged children;

  Dumfries and Galloway: free swimming Saturday mornings (under 18);

  East Dunbartonshire: free to under fives;

  Falkirk: parents and toddlers in organised classes;

  Glasgow: free to under 16s with a Glasgow Kidz card;

  Inverclyde: free swimming offered;

  Orkney: free to under fives;

  Shetland: free swimming pre- school;

  Stirling: free swimming to under 16s;

  West Dunbartonshire: Monday to Friday concessionary membership (parents in receipt of benefits);

  West Lothian: under 16s every Friday between 1 and 4pm.

Swimming

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support, other than the funding provided by sportscotland to Scottish Swimming, it has offered to local authorities not offering free year-round access to swimming for children to ensure that they do.

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to introduce in 2010-11 to ensure universal free year-round access to swimming for children.

Shona Robison: We want to ensure that Scotland’s children are given the opportunity to learn to swim and to enjoy swimming as a lifelong activity. This is why I recently announced funding of £800,000 to be invested over the coming year for a top-up swimming programme. This will support the improved delivery of swimming lessons and ensure that all children should have the opportunity to learn to swim before leaving primary school. Given the reductions in Scotland’s budgets by the UK Government, this represents a considerable investment in swimming for children.

  Each local authority will have access to these funds but, quite rightly, it is for them to decide how best to design services in their area or supplement existing provision.

Wildlife

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal protection other than that afforded by the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 extends to animal species not specified as European protected species under Schedule 2 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994, which have been reintroduced to Scotland under licence issued by the Scottish Ministers.

Roseanna Cunningham: There are two species in Scotland which have been reintroduced under licence. These are beavers, under the Scottish beaver trial and sea eagles.

  Beavers have been licensed for release as part of the Scottish beaver trial. As these animals are currently outwith their native range they are not afforded specific protection under the Habitats Directive. However, they would enjoy a level of protection from shooting under rules relating to armed trespass under the Firearms Act 1968.

  The Scottish beaver trial regards the beavers as their property and as such anyone who kills them would be at risk of prosecution or legal action.

  Sea eagles enjoy the protection afforded to wild birds under Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Wildlife

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many red deer stags have been recorded in each year since 1997.

Roseanna Cunningham: Although Scottish National Heritage (SNH), and, formerly the Deer Commission for Scotland, do carry out deer counts in particular areas, there is no comprehensive national count of the red deer population. In carrying out counting it is also difficult to reliably identify male numbers.

  The following table identifies the number of male red deer recorded as being killed through the statutory cull returns for each year between 1996 and 2010, inclusive. The statutory cull return does not represent all deer shot in Scotland, as SNH only request a return from occupiers of landholdings that are known to cull deer. However, the cull return does provide a good indicator of trends.

  The figures for 2009 to 2010 are not yet complete and may be revised upwards.

  

Year of Statutory Cull Return
Total Number of Male Red Deer Shot


1996-97
20,268


1997-98
20,583


1998-99
24,830


1999-2000
24,293


2000-01
25,045


2001-02
22,960


2002-03
21,060


2003-04
23,761


2004-05
25,397


2005-06
30,346


2006-07
29,983


2007-08
29,584


2008-09
27,959


2009-10
22,634